Aerial bomb, pyrotechnic device, and the like



Aug. 24%,, 1948. J. IMBER ET AL AERIAL BOMBS, PYROTECHNIC DEVICES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1944 Inventor Attorney;

mg, 4-, 394%. J. [MBER ET AL 2,447,941

AERIAL BOMB-S, PYROTECHNIC DEVICES AND THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor @if A ttorneys Aug. 24, W48. J. IMBER ET AL. 2,447,941

AERIAL BOMBS, PYROTECHNIC DEVICES AND THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nfientor GL4 1W QM A ttorneyg Aug. 4, 194. .J. IMBER ET AL.

AERIAL BOMBS, PYROTECHNIC DEVICES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1944 Inventor Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNH'ED STATES E ATENT @FFHCE AERIAL BOMIB, PYRU'EECEIIC DEVICE, AND THE LIKE;

Jack Imber and Hugh Charles Hebard, Greeniord, England 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to bombs, pyrotechnic devices and the like constructed for dropping from aircraft. Such projectiles may be secured together in clusters so that when released, the individual projectiles are merely scattered from the height at which the cluster leaves the aircraft. By this method it is extremely difficult to ensure that bombs will strike any particular taret or that flares will illuminate a desired area and in a copending application Serial No. 566,460, filed Dec. 4, 1944, now Patent No. 2,434,162, is described means whereby a cluster of bombs, flares or the like can be caused to fall as a unit and to be released for dispersion at a predetermined height above ground.

The object of th present invention is to apply the principle described in said co ending application to operate the release of a cluster and at the same instant to ignite any or all of the projectiles forming part of the said cluster. The improved assembly consists of a cluster of projectiles which are mechanically connected to a common support in such manner that a device which ignites the -fuzes of the individual projectiles also actuates means for removing the said projectiles from the said support and to disperse them thereby over their target.

The invention also consists in means for use in forming a cluster of bombs, pyrotechnic devices or the like for dropping from aircraft and comprising a central supporting element carrying means for engaging devices mounted on the bombs or the like, means normally preventing disengagement of said devices and a device operated by a propellant explosive to cause detachment of said bombs or the like from their support.

Reference will now be made to the accomp'anying'drawings which illustrate an arrangement of aircraft pyrotechnic devices according to the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled flare cluster,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the assembly shown in Fig. 1,

7 the flares in the positions occupied immediately prior to dispersal.

In the construction illustrated a cluster of aircraft pyrotechnic devices (e. g. flares) I is arranged around a central support in the form of a hollow rod 2 extending in a direction arallel to the axes of the flares. Secured around each flare casing is a sleeve formed in two parts 3 and 4 the edges of which have flanges 5 adapted to be connected by bolts 6 for securing the sleeve tightl in position and constructed so that it cannot be readily displaced longitudinally of the flare casing. Carried externally on each sleeve is a small cylindrical socket i which is adapted to engage over a pin or stud 8 whose axis lies parallel to that of the flare. These pins are mounted equidistantly around a flange 35 carried by the central hollow ,rod 2 and enable the assembly of flares to be mounted thereon.

The central rod 2 is mounted at one end in a housing 9 secured by means of a nut Hi centrally in a plate II which constitutes the head of the assembly and is formed with apertures i2 constituting locating means adapted to be engaged on assembly by fuze housings l3 in the ends of the flares I. Mounted on the plate I i is an end cover It (Fig. 1) secured in position by screws 15 (Fig. 3). The housing 9 extends through the cover I 4 and in its outer end is mounted a delay action ignition device l6 adapted to be actuated automatically or otherwise in known manner as the assembly leaves the aircraft or at a predetermined time thereafter. The ignition device I 6 may consist of any type of fuze designed to ignite and operate during passage through the air and a suitable fuze for this purpose is, for example, that described in a prior application Ser. No. 479,366, filed March 16, 1943, now Patent No. 2,422,548. Th ignition device I 6 is screw threaded into the housing 9 at IT and communicates with a chamber l8 in the housing filled with combustible material and in turn communicating through a short passage 9 with a barrel or cylinder 2!! also formed within the housing 9 and containing a propellant charge. The inner end of the cylinder 20 is closed by a plunger 2! n rmally restrained from movement by shear screws 22 passing through the housing 9 and engaging in the plunger. The plunger is carried in one end of a stem 23 mounted concentrically within the hollow rod 2. From the central ignition chamber l8 flash tubes 24 extend in substantially radial directions as shown in Fig. 4, to the fuze housings [3 of the flares, explosive pellets being preferably disposed within the flash tubes 24 to ensure that the flash is transmitted to the flares, in the head of each of which is a delay fuze 25 to ensure that ignition will not take place until a predetermined time interval has elapsed after dispersal of the cluster.

The end of the stem 23 remote from the predetermined time 3 plunger 2! passes through a bushing 26 to extend beyond the end of the hollow rod 2 and carries a flange 21 engaging slots 28 in curved members 29 secured to the exteriors of the sleeves 3--4 at tached to the flare casings. The members 29' engaged by the flange 21 are shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 but their shape can most clearly be seen in Fig. 2 which is a view looking on the end of the flare assembly remote from the cover M.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the section through the cover [4 is shown along the line of the section line IV-IV in Fig. 2 but for the sake of clear-mess the flares are shown in outside elevation with parts of the sleeves 3-4. I

As the stem 23 is normally held by the shear screws 22 in the retracted position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the flares are prevented from. becoming detached from the assembly on the central support constituted by the hollow rod- 2. To enable the flares assembled in a cluster as above described to be suspended from anaircraft, a plate (ill is fixed to the hollow rod 2 and extends radially therefrom as shown in Figs. '2 and 3. v This plate carries on its outer edge two transversely extending members 31 and -33 and has a central plate 32 formed or provided with an eye which enables the complete assembly to be carried in the bomb rack of an aircraft. The members 3| and 33 are provided to make en- ,gagem'ent withthe crutchin-g device fixed on the aircraft. The eye 34 is fixed by screws 36 to flanges forming parts of webs 37 projecting laterally from the plate 30 as shown in Fig. -2.

When the central ignition device 46 is operated,

it causes a flash to travel through the tubes 2'4 and passage l9 and either instantly =01 after a interval, the propellant charge in the cylinder 20 is caused to explode within the head =01 the central rod 2 which ifunctions as a gun barrel so that the plunger 21 is projected outwardly shearing the -scre'v'vs 22. This movement is transmitted through the fiange '2'! which is moved towards the right (Fig 5) taking with it the sleeves -3't, the flares l and the sockets l which are thereby draw-n o-ii the pins 8. The flares are thus disconnected from their central support and as the movement described has also removed the fu-ze housings [3 from engagement with the plate it, the ii-ares are free to disperse sothat thereafter they fall individually, "although they will not 'be ignited their de'l'ay action fu'zes 25 operated. according to requirements the fuzes 25 array operate-simultaneously or successively. When the 'fi'ares having become completely detached to fall individually,

the cover 14,:plate I I, rod 2, plate '30 and iparts carried thereby falls as an independent unit.

' We claim:

1. -A cluster of aerial projectiles casings provided with sockets and slotted rirembers ifixed 'to their exteriors and-ruze housings at the-ends thereof, comprising an end cover having soclte'ts to receive the fu'ze housings at the ends 'of the 4 end cover, a cylinder containing a propellant charge in said end cover, flash tubes connecting said ignition device with said cylinder and with said fuze housings, a central hollow rod fixed at one end in said end cover, means carried by said rod to engage said sockets on the exteriors of the projectile casings, a stem disposed within said hollow rod, a plunger at one end of said stem disposed within said cylinder and having means for normally restraining it against movement, a flange carried at the opposite end of said stem and engaging the slots in said members on the projectile casings, and means fixed to said hollow rod for suspending the assembled cluster of pro- "projectiles, a central delay ignition device said jectil'es from an aircraft.

2. An assembly of projectiles, comprising a central rod, an end cover in which said rod is fixed, means carried by said rod and over which the projectiles are detachably mounted, a cylinder in said end cover to contain a propellant charge, a second rod mounted within the first-mentioned rod and provided at one end with -a plunger movable axiallyin said cylinder by the explosion of a propellant charge therein, shear screws for said plunger in said cylinder, curved elements fixed externally to the projectiles and provided with slots, and means including a flange on the other end of said second-mentioned rod and en,- .gaged in the slots in said curved elements to disengage the projectiles irom said first-mentioned rod and said end cover. e

3. An assembly of projectiles provided at their ends with fuze housings, comprising a central rrod,

an end cover, a housing mounted central-lywithin said end cover and in which said rod is {ix-ed, means carried by said rod for detachably-comrecting the projectiles thereto, a plate fixed'to said end cover and having sockets engag-eable by the i-uze housings on the proiie'cti-ies for locating the ends of the latter relatively to said end cover, a delay action ignition device situated centrally of said end cover, flash tubes connecting-said ignition device with the iuze housings on the projectilesya propellant charge in said housing in the end cover and connected to said flash tubes, and

means actuated by explosionof said charge to-dis- Name :Date 1,220,803 Watson ll s e. Mar. 27., 3.917 2,3235561 Newman-- Ju1y=6,-1943 2,82%;365 -Mcs'eman Wrenssang. 24, @943 2,346,494 Leland commons Apr. an, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS :Numbe'r Country Date Italy H May 10, me 

